


Imagine It Better

by flowerfan



Category: Glee
Genre: Bullying, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, trevor project
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-12
Updated: 2014-02-12
Packaged: 2018-01-12 01:24:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1180241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerfan/pseuds/flowerfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt's worst nightmares held real monsters, relentless teenage boys slinging hurtful words and bruising elbows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Imagine It Better

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this powerful, beautiful fanart: http://www.tumblr.com/edit/76378053873.
> 
> Warnings for discussion of past bullying, discussion of suicide.

Kurt jolts awake with a start, breathing heavily, his fists grasping the sheets. Before he even comes out of the dream enough to know where he is, Blaine’s arm is around him, pulling him close.

“Ssh, baby, you’re okay,” Blaine hums into his hair. “Must have been a nightmare. You’re okay.”

Kurt lets Blaine pet him and tries to relax. He had such a hard time going to sleep in the first place, he knows he needs to rest. NYADA’s first fundraiser for the Trevor Project had gone fantastically well, and he was proud of all the work he and Blaine had done to help. But the evening’s stories had also brought back a lot of memories for Kurt, and were probably responsible for the dream he just had.

Blaine seemed to realize Kurt wasn’t just going to fall back asleep, and pulled back a little to look at Kurt, his face soft and sleepy. “Want to tell me about it? Was it vampires again?”

If only, Kurt thought. No, his worst nightmares held real monsters, relentless teenage boys slinging hurtful words and bruising elbows. “I dreamt I was back at McKinley.”

Blaine shifts and moves a hand to Kurt’s back, stroking gently. “Your junior year?” Blaine knows, of course, when the worst of it was. 

“Uh huh.” Kurt takes a deep breath, and lets himself feel, for a minute, just as he did in the dream. “Even when it got physical, it was still the words that hurt the most.” He remembers the torn shirts, the bloody scrapes, the smell of the dumpster. And finally, the feeling of utter hopelessness.

“Kurt, I’m so sorry. I wish I could have been there for you.” Blaine’s face is so open and earnest, reflecting back the pain Kurt is feeling.

“You were.” 

“Not soon enough.” Blaine scrunches his face in regret. “Someone should have done something.”

Kurt wipes his eyes and puts a hand to Blaine’s face, smoothing his brow. “No, you don’t even realize, do you? You really were there for me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sometimes when things got bad, I would imagine that I had someone who loved me. Someone who would cherish me for the very things that made other people hate me. And as soon as I met you,” Kurt trailed off, his voice hitching in his throat, “as soon as I met you, it was your face in my dreams.”

Blaine pulled Kurt close again and kissed him softly, then settled Kurt on his chest. “Those kids today… did you ever think about…?”

“No, no, never.” Kurt said firmly. “I was lucky enough to get out of there in time. I got to go to Dalton, I got away. When it got to the worst moment, I didn’t have to live with the feeling that there wasn’t any other option left.”

“I’m so glad,” Blaine murmured. “It’s a good thing you came to Dalton to spy on the Warblers, and found out about its secret identity as a haven for bullied gay boys.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Kurt laughed softly. “Who knew show choir could save my life.”

Both boys were silent for a moment as they pondered how much truth there was to that statement. Kurt stretched and caught a glimpse of the clock. “Shit, it’s nearly four a.m. We have to get up in three hours.”

“Do you think you can fall back to sleep now?”

“Yeah, might as well try.” Kurt pushed at Blaine’s shoulder to get him to turn over, and pressed his chest to Blaine’s back, his cheek resting on his soft curls. “You know what the most amazing thing is?” Kurt asked.

“No, what?”

“When I imagined that someday someone would love me for who I really am, that I wouldn’t have to be less of myself in order to find love, that you would love me and hold me and make everything safe, I was right.”


End file.
